This site may earn affiliate commissions from the links on this page. Terms of use.

It’s not often that you’ll find “highly awaited” and “keyboard” in the same sentence, but that was exactly the case with the Cooler Master Novatouch TKL. This keyboard is the first of its kind, making it a very special release, at least if you are a relatively hardcore keyboard enthusiast. Basically, this is a high-end ($199) keyboard with a very cool, but very specific, trick up its sleeve.

The first thing to know about the Cooler Master CM Storm Novatouch TKL (TenKeyLess) is that today’s keyboard enthusiasts are essentially split into two camps: Cherry and Topre. Cherry MX mechanical switches are available in many different styles, they are highly customizable, and because of the fact that they have been manufactured since 1983 there is a huge number of different key sets available. Key sets are more or less interchangeable from one keyboard to the next, and they vary widely in price, quality, and colors. [For more on Cherry switches, here is a visual guide to Cherry’s MX switches.] Topre switches aren’t exactly mechanical — they are rubber dome-based — but they feel absolutely delightful. Topre keyboards tend to be pricey and have few customizations available. Not many keysets are available for them and the ones you can buy are expensive ($150 or so).

Here’s the short version in car analogy form: Cherry keyboards are the Honda Civic — affordable, easy to mod, customizable, and the end results are hugely diverse. Topre keyboards the BMW 3 Series — you’ll spend more initially, and there are less customization options, but it’s amazing as soon as you buy it.

And here’s the hook: the Novatouch is the first Topre keyboard that can work with Cherry keys. So all those amazing key sets that have been made over the last 30 years for Cherry keyboards can now be used on a switch type that more and more people are finding to be the best available. Of course, not every Cherry-compatible keyset will work perfectly because the modifier (non-letter) keys might not fit Cooler Master’s layout and some of your expensive collectible keycaps might not work either, but you will get more customization options than ever before.

Before digging into the NovaTouch on its own merits there are two geekier points to note. The first is that the keyboard uses ABS keycaps, not the high-end PBT caps that almost always ship with Topre keyboards. The downside here is that ABS keys feel cheap and they wouldn’t otherwise be on a keyboard in this price category. There is a noticeable difference, but Cooler Master designed this keyboard knowing many buyers would toss the stock caps, so a corner was cut to keep the price reasonable. This means that if you don’t plan to ever change your caps you should strongly consider the RealForce 87u, which is also available for $199.

The second detail to note, one much further down the keyboard enthusiast rabbit hole, is that some people will be buying the NovaTouch, harvesting the purple sliders with their sweet Cherry-compatible cruciform, and then using those sliders on other Topre keyboards. This will bring Cherry compatibility to keyboards that hardcore enthusiasts tend to use, mainly the RealForce 87u 55g and the Happy Hacking Professional 2 (HHKB). This won’t affect most people, but it gives you some more insight into the keyboard market. Plus if you see a barely used NovaTouch for sale with stock Topre sliders and PBT keys from a RealForce, you are probably in for a sweet deal.

At this point there are two big questions left — how is the NovaTouch as a keyboard? and how does it compare against the Cooler Master boards the people already know and enjoy, like the QuickFire Rapid-i?

Viewed on its own, the NovaTouch TKL is solid feeling, with a nice base and no feeling of flex when typing. The keys feel a bit wobbly, but the layout is practical and very easy to get used to. It doesn’t have fancy lighting like the Rapid-i, but it does have perks over some of the competition, like design flourishes on the chassis, a cool logo on the bottom, and a detachable micro USB cable. Of course, none of these are huge benefits, which means you’re mainly paying for those expensive Topre switches and the innovative Cherry-compatible sliders.

As far as typing goes, the NovaTouch feels good enough that I have no real complaints about it. That noted, it’s not my favorite Topre keyboard… not by a long shot. The switch feel is satisfactory and it does feel like a Topre, but it doesn’t have the distinctiveness of the 55 gram RealForce 87u or the HHKB 2, which are generally seen as the top choices for Topre purists. That’s not to say that the NovaTouch is bad, it’s just a bit bland — which might actually make it a nice first step into Topre typing.

As for the NovaTouch versus its Cherry-based Cooler Master brethren, I’d heartily recommend giving this new board a try. Cherry will remain the choice for most people, especially gamers who will benefit from the design of Cherry’s black and red switches, but I believe Topre is the best choice for people who want a satisfying typing experience with the best possible tactile and aural feedback. You can get a Cooler Master QuickFire starting at $80, so you will be paying a considerable premium to go Topre and you won’t be getting the clicky switches that a lot of first- or second-time mechanical keyboard buyer are looking for.

Speaking of aural feedback (a very big topic with Topre fanatics), the NovaTouch doesn’t have as deep a tone or distinct a sound as the HHKB, but it’s enough that people will know you’re typing on something different. More importantly, they will really know you are typing on something different if they actually stop your typing and give the keyboard a try. The NovaTouch isn’t particularly loud though, which makes it acceptable for office settings where most people would agree that the Cherry blue switches are not. O-ring dampeners are included if you want to do a little work and really silence your keyboard.

Ultimately, the Cooler Master NovaTouch TKL is about allowing enthusiasts to use their Cherry keysets on Topre’s excellent switches. In doing this Cooler Master has created a good entry point into Topre typing for people familiar with the concept of mechanical switches but who have yet to stop by a keyboard forum or find an online specialty shop. Cooler Master’s brand recognition and the exposure this will bring to Topre keyboards are both great, but the important point to understand is that the NovaTouch is not a good deal if you don’t plan on swapping the keys. The stock ABS keys on the board take away from the typing experience and they simply feel cheap when for the same $199 you can buy a RealForce 87u (with high-end PBT keys) which will be a better value for most people.